NEMO Moonlander Table

“Best camping table ever.”  Maybe that seems like excessive praise for something as basic as a table, but the Moonlander from NEMO really is amazing. The simplicity of the design is a refreshing break from overly complicated mechanisms. The table unfolds, the legs pop out from their storage slots, pop into holes at the four corners, and then with a simple twist of the legs, the table is ready for action. This straightforward design provides a rock solid table that can be used anywhere at a campsite. And it packs away just as easily into a flat and compact case.  Each time I use the Moonlander on a camping trip, I marvel at the ingenious design. Waxing poetic about a table is perhaps a bit on the unusual side, but the Moonlander inspires effusive words.




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Vittoria Sweepstakes

 

Vittoria is currently offering a sweepstakes that gives participants the chance to win a trip for two to Italy. The package includes a stipend for two round-trip tickets, a tour of the Vittoria Technical Center and Vittoria Park, as well as tickets to the Tour of Lombardy. The trip is scheduled to take place from October 3rd to the 9th, and presents an incredible opportunity to visit Italy and experience one of the classic tours of the cycling season. To enter the sweepstakes and potentially win this amazing opportunity, please follow this link.



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absoluteBlack HOLLOWcage

 

There have been several innovations in cycling in my lifetime, two of which are becoming the standard for most bicycles: electronic shifting and hydraulic disc brakes. These two technologies took a minute to catch on, but thanks to their incredible ease of use and solid performance, they are now accounting for much of what you’ll find in the bike shop. That said, the bicycle hasn’t really changed much over its incredibly long lifespan. Improvements come along regularly, but all in all, it is still the same basic machine .

So, I admit to being skeptical when I first started seeing oversize derailleur pulley cages entering the market. Ceramic Speed was one of the first on the scene, and because of the incredibly smooth bearings, it started appearing on high end bicycles. It quickly became top dog in the cage wars.

But its position at the top is now being challenged by a new entry from absoluteBLACK. (more…)



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INEOS Grenadier

By now a lot of you know I covet cars and trucks as much as bicycles. And sometimes these two passions overlap, as in this Grenadier truck built by INEOS, sponsor of the INEOS Grenadiers, a Tour de France winning team. A BMW 3 liter straight-six turbo combined with three differential locks should make this truck a super capable off-roader. The design is exactly right for my preferred aesthetics, and cribbing off an older Land Rover is really not a bad thing. Modern underpinnings matched to retro design makes for a very desirable truck.



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Nemo Dagger Ultralight Tent


I’ve entered the Nemo universe, and I couldn’t be happier. The New England based company started back in 2002. The name NEMO is a melding of New England Mountain Equipment and the ingenious Captain Nemo. And ingenious certainly describes the first item I picked up from NEMO – the Dagger Ultralight tent, which has now accompanied me on many trips. From a snowy night in the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, California, to a backpacking trip on Catalina Island, the tent has proven to be a worthy travel companion. (more…)



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Smith Trace

I’ve long known about Smith Optics and their collection of glasses for almost every type of sporting activity, but I was unaware of Smith helmets. Turns out I’ve been missing out on a good thing. Smith makes helmets for both cycling and snow sports, and seeing how it’s the middle of summer here in LA, the only option right now is cycling. The Trace sits at the top of the range and is a full-featured cycling helmet loaded with the latest tech. (more…)



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